Need Urgent Help on Getting Internet Connection

Bin Xie (bxiekc@pei.edu)
Sun, 4 Feb 1996 23:43:50 EST

Our school is trying to get Internet connection into our building in this
school year. We already got T-1 link to one side of our wall. But, for
some reason, the whole process is postponeded by the school district due
to district budget crisis. It seems we are not going to get the T-1
before next school year starts. However, our school still has a limited
budget to get our own Internet connection before next school year starts.
This budget plan must be done before next Tuesday (Feb. 6). I will
appreciate any help to give me information on how to get our own Internet
access. We have a Novell LAN in our school (most are Windows, some are
MACs). We can not do anything on the on-going T-1 link due to the
district contract limit. But we can start making our own connection
without district involvement. Our goal is to get at least 20 computers on
the Internet before August 31, 1996. Southwestern Bell has given us a
price list for ISDN (128K bps) cost. I do need help on the following
issues:

(1) Give me a whole picture what should us do to get connection from our
LAN to the Internet? (step by step)

(2) More specifically, what hardware and software we have to purchase
for such Internet connection.

(3) We want to have a Web server of our own in order to get our school a
Web home page. What software/hardware do we need for doing so?

(4) We also want each station to be able to use Netscape browse the Web.
What should we do for this?

(5) In order to use the ISDN line efficiently (we pay for it hour by hour
no matter we use it or not), we plan to set up a dial-up service for
accessing Internet after school. We do want give our own users SLIP or
PPP access. How to do it? What software do we need?

(6) We were told by the phone company that we have to look for an
Internet connection/service provider for our Internet access. How can we
do it? I have called around the city. Every online provider claims that
they are the best online service provider in town. How can we compare
the difference?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Bin Xie

Information Processing Teacher
LAN Administrator

Westport High School
315 E. 39th Street
Kansas City, MO 64111

E-mail: bxiekc@cyclops.pei.edu

Phone: (816) 871-6481
871-6517
871-6554